Insole and method of making



D. 4W. BUNKER'AND C. M. BRADFORD.

INSOLE AND METHOD 0F MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3l ISIS.

Patented June 28, 1921.

UNITED STA'l` E DARIUS W. BUNKER, OF BROOKLI'NE, AN D narrar Asatirica.

CHARLES M'. BRiDl-TORD, 0F BORCHESTER,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COBJPGRATION, 0F IPATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATON GF NEW' JERSEY.

INSOLE AND METHOD OF MAKING.

Application filed July 31,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, Damos W. BUNnnn and CHARLES M. BRADFORD, citizens of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Dorchester, in the county of Suffolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in insoles and Methods of Making; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,` such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to insoles forboots and shoes and more particularly to what are known commercially as manufactured insoles. The invention relates also to a novel method of making manufactured insoles, particularly laminated insoles, or insoles composed of two or more layers of sheet insolo material.

It is important in the manufacture of shoes that all the insoles of a single size and style be alike in all dimensions, and in welt shoes particularly with regard to the relation of the sewing-rib to the margin or edge of the insole, so that the lines of each finished shoe, determined principally by the line of the ,sewing-rib, in 'any size or style will be the same. It is also important that an insole of a particular size be exactly equal in area to the area of the bottom of the last on which it is to be assembled. Those skilled in the art will recognize the Cliniculty ofV dinking or roundingan insole on a iiat bed and producing a blank having an area which, when pressed closely against the varying curves forming the contour of the last bottom, will accurately iit the outline of said bottom. Furthermore, since insoles are in temper when the usual channeline operation is performed they frequently are stretched at the channeling machine and are found too large when assembled on the last with a. consequent, longitudinal shifting of the major points on the insole with the corresponding points on the last. Obviously the completed shoe, in such a case, will be distorted and will not exhibit to view the style of the last which has been designed with great care. Again, the sewing-rib, while it may be set eto an exact position on the flat insole blank, will assume a different and frequently unde- Specification of Letters Patent. Pgrtned Jun@ 28, 1432i 1318. Serial No. 247,6l9.

sirable position when, the fiat blank is assembled on the last and bent to hug the varying curves of the last bottom. The rib then becomes diliicult to sew to and a distorted shape in the :finished shoe is the re sult. Finally, in addition to the reasons already given showing the need and anvantage of a standard insole, suoli an insole is a necessity in making standard shoes by automatic machinery where the operating instrumentalities of the machine and the shoe are moved relatively in a predetermined path, by mechanical means, to transfer the pornt of operation around the shoe.

h n primary object of the present invention is the production of av standard insole, free from all the defects and disadvantages just adverted to, which after its manufacture may, without further manipulation. immediately be assembled on the last iiiiperfect relation to the last bottom, whereby superior shoemaking is attained. l

For the accomplishment of this object the invention, according to the particular exemplilication thereof hereinafter set forth by way of example, provides an insole in which the sewing-rib is located accurately with regard to both form and position, and the entire insole is molded and shaped in the process of making, to the exact contour and size oit' the last bottom to which it is to be applied. Those skilled in the art will recog- Y nize that an insole having the characteristics deiined will add quality, accuracy and perfection to shoemaking as at present prac* tised, because it use overcomes all irregularity and lack of uniformity heretofore present in shoes of the same size or style due to the fact that present methods of manufao ture are incapable of producing insoles which will give perfect results. l

Moreover, the invention comprises certain other novel steps and combinations of steps and also an insole, as an article of manufacture, having the novel features of construc tion hereinafter described and claimed and Villustrated in the accompanying drawings which enables the forepart to fit the contour of the last bottom; Fig. 2 is a transverse section across the heel seat showing the transverse curvature of this portion of the insole in order to lit the last bottom; Fig. 3 shows two molds, partly broken away, which are shaped to the exact area and contour of the last bottom and are used to mold the sewinglayer of a laminated insole; and Fig. l is a fragmentary detail showing the addition of a stitched seam at each side of the sewingrib connecting the Sewing-layer with next adjacent body-layer.

In manufacturing the insole illustrated in the drawings a laminated structure is built up from three layers of sheet insole material. Although the kind of material is not essential it is preferred to use a textile fabric, such as duck, for one outside layer 5 forming the sewing-surface, a leather substitute, such as fiberboard, for the central body-layer 6, and a leather` skiving for the remaining body-layer 7 which forms the sock-surface. It is preferred to dink the various layers to the shape of the last bottom the two bodylayers 6 and 7 being dinke-d to a size which will form a blank having the exact areas of the bottom of the last on which the insole is to be assembled, but the layer 5 forming the sewing-surface being dinked to a larger size to provide material from which a grooved sewing-rib may be formed, it being understood that the material is so cut that after the grooved rib has been formed the area of the unribbed face is equal to the area of the body-layers. By so dinking the material a later operation of trimming to size is eliminated.

After the duck 5 for the sewing-surface has been dinked it is carefully placed between two male and female molds 8 and 9. The female mold is provided with a marginal recess l0 at a predetermined distance from its edge extending about the forepart and along the shank at each side. The male mold is provided with a complemental marginal rib 11 which fits accurately within the recess l0 when the molds are brought together. The forcing of the insole material into the recess 10 by pressure from the rib 11 produces a groove in the material, thej side walls of which form the sewing-rib. The pressing surface of the mold 9 is formed as an exact counterpart, in size and contour, of

the last bottom on which the particular insole being made is to be assembled and the pressing surface of the mold 8 isan exact complementthereof. The forepart of each mold is so shapedas to'give to any material acted on the same forepart spring and accompanying transverse curvature asis found on the last bottom (see Fig. l). The arch lof the shank has the same depth and other peculiarities of contour as the arch of the last bottom (see Fig. l). The heel-seat has the n COHIQ.

same longitudinal and transverse curvature as has the heel-seat of the last bottom (see Fig. 2). As a result any piece of insole material after having been pressed between the molds shown in Fig. 3 is discharged in the form of a conca'vo-convex body having a molded marginal sewing rib 12 on its convex face, and a concave face which corresponds in contour to the contour of the bottom of the last on which the shoe is to be built. It will be remembered that the sewing-layer 5 was so dinked as to provide an area. somewhat larger than the area of the pressing surfaces of the molds but so determined that after the sewing-rib l2 has been produced by grooving the material, in the manner heretofore described, the edge of the material will be drawn in flush with the edge of the molds. The location `of the sewing-rib forming instrumentalities relative to the edge of the molds is in a predetermined relation to the edge of the insole, thus accurately producing a feather-Bof any desired variation in width throughout the shankand forepart. Furthermore, the grooved sewing-rib is necessarily of uniform cross-section through- Y the material at the time it is molded to the contour 'of the last bottom it stands at the desired and a uniform angle to all points on the sewing-surface whatever the curvature thereof may be. Those skilled in the art will at once recognize the distinct advantages thus secured. The possibility of producing faulty and weakened sewing-ribs in the channeling operation, where the positionV and strength of the rib is dependent entirely upon the skill of the operator is wholly over- The disadvantage of having portions of the rib fold in or out into an undesirable angular position relative to the sewing-surface, due to the necessary flexing of a flat insolewhen it is bent to fit the last bottom in the assembling operation,ris also wholly overcome. In fact a standard sewing-surface is produced the use of which will eliminate cripples and result in superior shoemaking. y Y .ln order that the body-layers 6 and 7 may also conform in shape to the contour of the last bottom they, after dinking, are assembled with the molded sewing-layer 5 and all three layers are then subjected to a second molding operation. Before assembly an adhesive is applied to the layers so that afterV` the second molding operation they will all be secured together and form a unitary insole.

YIn performing the second molding operation, preferably 'the sewing-layer 5 is left attachedto the mold 8 and the body-layers mold 9 except that the rib 171 is omitted.

This molds the entire insole tothe required concave-convex shapeto enable it to contact with all points on the surface of the last bottom when assembled therewith. It will be observed that the formation of the grooved sewing-rib on the molded sewingsurface enables it to act as a longitudinal stiffener to hold-the molded insole from becoming flattened while being handled in the period between making and assembling.

Vhen a heel is inside `nailed through the heel-seat of a manufactured insole of the type illustrated it has been found that the heel-seat is not strong enough to prevent the heel nails from drawing down pits or depressions which would render the completed shoe uncomfortable to the wearer. Accord ingly it is proposed to introduce a heel-seat reinforce 14 for strength, when necessary, said reinforce being introduced between the layers and covering the heel-seat to the rear of the breast line. In an insole having two body-layersit is preferable to place the reinforce just under the sock-layer whereby this layer alone need be lifted in performing the heel nailing operation from the inside. The reinforce is preferably provided with a beveled 0r skived forward edge 15 (see Fig. 1) to preserve a smooth sock-surface on the insole. The reinforce is introduced before the second molding operation so that it may be shaped to conform to the curvatures of the heel-seat of the last (see Fig. 2).

Some materials used in manufacturing an insole of the type described require that the sewing-rib be stiffened and strengthened. To this end, when required, it is proposed to secure the rib to the body of the insole in its exact required location thereon by fastenings, preferably a stitched seam 16 laid at each side of the rib in the angle at its base (see Fig. 4C). In an insole made of three layers the stitches will be sewn only through the central body-layer in order to prevent their showing on the sock-surface when looking into the completed shoe. In making the illustrated insole in this way there will be three, instead of two, molding operations. After the sewing-rib 12 has been formed on the layer 5 the body-layer 6 is molded therewith as already described. The two layers are then removed from the molds and the seams 16 are sewed. The partly completed insole is then placed between the molds again and the second bodylayer 7 is molded thereagainst in the manner already described.

It will be observed that the insole manufactured by the method described is accurate in all its dimensions and correctly formed in all its characteristics. ln fact it is a standard insole that is immensely valuable in adding quality, accuracy and perfection to any shoemaking and especially to the making of shoes by automatic machinery wherein any irregularity or lack of uniformity between parts of shoes of the same size or style will render a successful operation of the machine l extremely difficult and will detract seriously from the value of the product thereof.

The nature and scope of the invention-having been indicated and the preferred method of its practice having been described, as well as one type of insole produced thereby, what is claimed as new, is:

1. An insole for wclted boots and shoes comprising a blank of sheet insole material shaped and molded to fit the exact area of the last bottom formed by the curves which define the heel-seat, the arch and the forepart spring, and provided with a marginal groove forming a sewing-rib to which the upper and welt are stitched, standing from one face of the blank at a uniform angle to all curves produced by the molding thereof.V

2. An insole for welted boots and shoes having a contour molded as an exact complement of the contour of the last bottom on which it is to be assembled, a periphery equal in length to the periphery of said last bottom, a grooved marginal sewing-rib, to which the upper and welt are stitched, eX- tending throughout the shank and forepart of uniform cross-section throughout its length and a uniform thickness throughout the area within said sewing-rib.

3. An insole for welted boots and shoes comprising a molded concave-convex blank of sheet insole material the curves of which are those which are required when the insole is finally secured and positioned within the upper and outsole, and provided with a marginal groove in its concave surface definitely located a predetermined distance from the edge of the blank providing a sewing-rib at its convex surface to which the upper and welt are stitched. Y

Ll. A manufactured insole for boots and shoes, comprising a plurality of layers of sheet insole material, molded to contact with all points on the surface of the last bottom when assembled therewith, one of said layers having a marginal sewing-rib molded on its outer surface at a predetermined distance from the edge of said layer.

5. A manufactured insole for boots and shoes comprising a plurality of layers of flexible sheet insole material molded to correspond to the final concavo-convex shape which the insole assumes when built into the boot or shoe, and having a longitudinal stifening rib molded on that layer which forms the convex surface of the insole for preserving the molded shape of the insole, and shaped to form a sewing-rib.

6. A manufactured insole for boots and shoes comprising three layers of insole material the central layer of which is of a leather substitute, such as fiberboard, the sock-surface of a leather skiving and the sewing-surface of a woven fabric, such as duck, in which a marginal sewing-rib is moldedA at a predetermined distance from the edge of the sole, all of said layers and the sewing-rib being molded to form an insole having a predetermined lateral contour and a predetermined spring corresponding to the final shape of the insole when built into the boot or shoe.

7. A manufactured insole for boots and shoes comprising a plurality of layers of sheet insole material all of which are molded to a predetermined contour and one of which has a marginal sewing-rib in a predetermined relation to said contour, and a heelseat reinforce inserted between said layers having a skived edge substantially at the breast line. Y

8. The method of preparing insoles for incorporation in a welted boot or shoe which comprises molding a blank of sheet insole material to a predetermined lateral contour and forepart spring corresponding to the contour of the last bottom, and producing a sewing-rib, to which the upper and welt are stitched, located at a predetermined distance from the edge of the blank, by grooving the insole material.

9. The method of preparing insoles for incorporation in a boot'or shoe which comprises forming a blank from aplurality of layers of sheet insole material one of which is provided with asewing-rib, molding all of said layers and the sewing-rib to a predetermined contour, and inserting a reinforce between the layers at the heel seat only.

l0. The method of making manufactured insoles which includes the steps of molding a layer of sheet insole material to a predetermined contour and simultaneously grooving a sewing-rib in a predetermined relation to said contour, assembling another layer or layers of insole material with said ribbed layer, and molding all the layers to the same predetermined contour.

ll. The mthod Vof making manufactured insoles which includes the steps of dinking a plurality of pieces of insole material to such a size and shape as will produce the desired insole, one of said pieces being larger than the remainder whereby a marginal sewing-rib may be molded therein, molding said marginal sewingrib and simultaneously molding the larger piece to a predetermined size and contour corresponding exactly with the size and contour of the last bottom, assembling the remaining piece or pieces therewith, and again molding the laminated in- Y sole thus produced to the same predetermined the exact area of the last bottom for which the insole is intended, said molding step including the formation of a marginal sewingrib, assembling with said ribbed piece two other pieces of insole material forming a body and a sock-piece, said body-piece being of inferior insole material, and molding said body and sock-piecesto fit the contour of the unribbed face of the textile piece, an adhesive for holding the pieces together having been supplied thereto at a convenient time. v

13. A manufactured insole for boots and shoes compris-ing three layers of. insole material all molded to a contour corresponding to the curves which form the heel-seat, arch and forepart of the last bottom, one of said layers being provided with a marginal sewing-rib, said ribbed layer and the central layer being secured together by fastenings following the line of said sewing-rib` and the remaining layer being secured to the central layerby an adhesive.

la. The method of making manufactured insoles which includes the steps of molding a layer of insole material to a predetermined contour and simultaneously providing a sewing-rib in a predetermined relation to said contour, assembling a second layer of insole material against the unribbed face of said first layer and again molding the two layers to said predetermined contour, stitching said layers together by a seam following the line of said VSevvingrib, assembling a third layer of insole material against the second layer and again molding all three layers to said predetermined contour. f

DARIUs w. EUNKER. oHARLEs M. BRADFORD. 

